Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, widow of the late Officer Ikponmwosa Paul-Ogbebor and owner of Paulosa Nigeria Limited, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of reallocating her family’s 2.5-hectare estate land to Saravera Nigeria Limited, allegedly controlled by House of Representatives Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda.
At a press conference in Abuja, the 84-year-old businesswoman decried what she described as an injustice. She insisted that her family has rightfully owned the property in Life Camp, Abuja, since 1984.
She vowed to resist the reallocation and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
The widow expressed shock at how Saravera Nigeria Limited allegedly secured ministerial approval for both the Right of Occupancy (R of O) and Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) within two months. She questioned the speed of the approval process and its legitimacy.
The dispute stems from allegations of land use violations and unpaid land charges, which the FCT Minister claims justify revoking the titles. Wike had also branded the estate as a haven for criminals.
The family presented evidence of part-payment of ₦10 million in ground rent and contended that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) failed to notify them of any payment deadlines or penalties.
They also lamented receiving a quit notice, demolition order, and land revocation letter all within a week.
The family explained that they initiated steps to validate their land allocation in 2020, which was originally approved during Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT Minister. Former FCTA Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, reportedly approved their request to restart the process in 2023.
However, the process stalled when the family discovered that their plot number had disappeared from the FCTA system, preventing further payments.
Reflecting on her late husband’s contributions, Lori-Ogbebor emphasized his role in Abuja’s development, “My husband was instrumental in building this city, bringing experts from around the world to help. After 40 years, our property is now under threat. At my age, I should not have to beg the government to protect what is rightfully ours.”
She described the situation as heartbreaking, particularly given her family’s decades-long adherence to regulations and contributions to Nigeria’s growth.
The Ogbebor family has urged the federal government to review the situation and ensure due process is followed. They are also calling on Nigerians to oppose what they describe as a clear abuse of power.
Osaruonanen Ogbebor, one of Rita Lori-Ogbebor’s sons, explained that their attempts to resolve the matter had been stalled by bureaucratic delays, with their file said to be awaiting approval on the FCTA Minister’s desk.
Osaruonanen emphasised that the failure to generate a plot number and process payments had led to unnecessary delays in resolving the issue.
He stated, “During Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT Minister, when recertification, verification, and validation of documents and land allocations were conducted, we initiated the process. After El-Rufai left, in 2020, we requested to restart the process. Then, the FCT Minister Mohammed Musa Bello approved it on 1 February 2023, and we made an initial deposit of N10 million.
“During the process of obtaining receipts, it was discovered that our plot number was not in the system. Without a plot number, a receipt cannot be generated, and further payments cannot be made due to improvements on the Remita platform. A plot number is now mandatory for any payment. They conducted a survey plan, which was required to issue us a new plot number. Since that survey plan last year, communication has been, ‘The file is on the FCT Minister’s table for approval.”
Meanwhile, the Ogbebor family discovered that their plot had been reallocated to Saravera Nigeria Limited, a company not involved in the initial land allocation, with the same plot number that had been missing from the system.
Ikponmwosa Ogbebor, one of the sons said they made the initial deposit of N10,000,000 out of N43,000,000 charge to the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) on 1st February 2023 when the approval was granted to them.
He said, “We find out that our Plot Number was not on the system and if you don’t have Plot Number on the system they cannot generate receipts for you. If you generate Remita for payment, you must put your Plot Number and if you don’t put it, you can’t make the payment.
“They came to do a survey plan which is part of the requirement to give us Plot Number but since then they keep telling us that the file is still on the Minister’s table.”
In a document with Ref. No FCDA/ELA.137 titled “ Conveyance of Approval of Temporary Right of Occupancy” made available to SaharaReporters the property was allocated to Paulosa Nigeria Limited on 17th August 1984.
While seeking clarification and resolution on the quit notice issued on 22nd November 2024 and demolition notice issued on 9th November 2024, Paulosa Nigeria Limited requested a detailed explanation of the alleged infractions or violations and copies of any relevant documents or reports that led to the issuance of the notice in a letter.
The company also requested Information on any steps required to comply with AMMC regulations and resolve this matter amicably.
The letter dated 2ith November 2023 was addressed to the Director Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) with the title “REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION AND RESOLUTION QUIT NOTICE ISSUED TO PAULOSA NIGERIA LIMITED AT LIFE XAMP ABUJA”
